Amazon’s Neighborhood Small Business Relief Fund

In March of this year, Amazon created a $5 million Neighborhood Small Business Relief Fund for small businesses located within a few blocks of their Regrade, South Lake Union, and Bellevue office buildings.  Amazon has already awarded funds to local businesses such as Lady Yum in Seattle’s Regrade neighborhood, and Cactus in South Lake Union.  It appears that Amazon is still accepting applications, and that funds remain available.

In addition to the location requirement, eligible businesses must have fewer than 50 employees or less than $7 million in annual revenue, and must be private (not publicly traded) small business service or retail establishments open to the general public.

Amazon has limited the pool of eligible businesses significantly through its location requirement, but for those who do qualify, the funds are grants, and not loans, and awardees will not need to pay the funds back.  Additionally, while Amazon expects that awardees will use the funds to cover daily operating expenses, it will not inspect the recipients’ expenditures, nor will it place requirements on usage of the funds.  The amount of grants depends upon information received through the application process, and Amazon will provide the funds quickly following grant approval.

Amazon’s Neighborhood Small Business Relief Fund presents one more example of the variety of resources currently available to small businesses.  It is imperative that individuals and small businesses keep abreast of continuing developments to take advantage of options as they become available.  The attorneys at Beresford Booth will continue to provide guidance and assistance to individuals and businesses in these trying times.

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